A wide variety of connectors for making electrical connections are presently used and are mounted on blocks in a building entrance protector, i.e. junction box. A common type of connector is an Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC), which is widely used in different types of applications for interconnecting wires; particularly, in the telecommunications industry. An IDC terminal eliminates the need to strip the insulation from a wire prior to making the connection. Since multiple connectors are often positioned in groups on blocks in a small cramped space within a junction box, it is critical and essential to place a selected conductor in the correct connector opening for making contact with a corresponding conductor. In view of the adjacency of multiple openings on a block of connectors and the small space within which to work, this is often difficult, inefficient and time consuming to make a series of good electrical connections between the exposed ends of the conductors and the connector to ensure that each engages the contact element for connection to its corresponding pre-selected conductors. It is important to accommodate a greater number of conductors in the connectors without reducing reliability and electrical connecting efficiency.
Conventional connectors have side wire-connecting openings for receiving the conductor or wire. A conductor is placed into the conductor-receiving opening for engagement with a terminal in the connector for interconnection. As a block of connectors are typically mounted on a junction box on a wall, a technician working with a side-opening connector does not have a top view of the openings. Thus, connectors with side openings are more difficult to use or to identify the corresponding interconnection, which slows the process, creating higher labor costs. Some of the prior art connectors utilize angled side openings, which simplify insertion of conductors but do not remedy the problem.
Therefore, there is a need for an insulation displacement connector having top access openings for receiving conductors to facilitate identification to ensure proper interconnection.